Flock trouble

[Kleiner77]

Hello all. I have an issue that I’ve never experienced before. I have a hen that has been completely alienated from the flock. I noticed she was staying in the hen house all day long. At first I thought she was sick. After a day of giving vitamins and watching her closely I came to the conclusion she’s not sick. She’s eating and drinking when I give her both, and her color is good and she is acting normal, and still laying. I put her outside with the rest of the flock and they went after her obsessively. This hen has been with the flock for almost two years with no prior troubles up until this last week. What could be going on? I’m stumped!

 

[DemeterAD9]

Perhaps a shift in the power dynamics. If she was top of the pecking order and lost her place the others may be repaying her “kindness” from when she was the bully. Or she may have something going on that you aren’t aware of. Most animals will pick on the weaker individuals of the group.

You can ride it out and see what happens, try to reintroduce her, or rehome her. Culling is an option too.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have had chickens for a long time, and had this happen to me for the first time.

I have been waiting it out, letting her out, feeding her separately. The rooster despised her, would run her off or catch her and beat the heck out of her.

I adjust my flock before October and had decided they were both on my cull list, but a coyote pre-empted me and took the rooster and a different hen. So now, I am kind of watching again.

Chicken?!?